Jun 4, 2009 1:34 pm US/Eastern
Community Looks For Answers After Beating
CROFTON, Md. (WJZ) ―
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Parents and other members of the community are searching for answers. Their nerves are shattered by the death of a teenager who police say was attacked by other teens.
CBS
Parents and other members of the community are searching for answers. Their nerves are shattered by the death of a teenager who police say was attacked by other teens.
Sally Thorner reports emotions were running high as hundreds of people asked, "What do we do now?"
County Executive John Leopold called for a meeting Wednesday to address concerns after Christopher Jones was fatally beaten over the weekend.
"The community has indicated a need to discuss public safety in Crofton after this terrible tragedy," Leopold said. "Everyone who plays a role in the protection and education of our children will be prepared to listen to individual concerns as well as answer questions. This kind of senseless crime will not be tolerated anywhere in Anne Arundel County. My heartfelt sympathies go out to the family members who suffered this tremendous loss."
"We're carrying around this with us. You can't explain the loss. I can't speak for my sister; I can't imagine what she's going through," said his aunt, Suzy Estrada.
County Executive John Leopold ordered a crackdown on delinquent youth in the area. It's called Operation Action. The new crackdown centers on a high police profile in the community.
Police Chief Col. James Teare Sr. told residents to expect to see a mobile command unit and foot and bicycle patrols in their neighborhoods.
Earlier in the day, a Crofton family buries their young son who died after being beaten by a gang of teens.
The service for young Christopher David Jones was very difficult for those in attendance.
Parents of other children fear that the violence which took his life could happen again.
The small community of Crofton will never forget Wednesday, the day set aside for the funeral for the 14-year-old.
"Her son was everything to her, and I got two kids of my own, and I can't imagine what she's feeling right now," said Melissa Camp, a family friend.
"We were all really crushed because he was a cool guy," said Zeke Heath, friend of the victim.
Family members, friends, neighbors, even people who never knew Jones patiently packed into The Riva Trace Baptist Church to say goodbye.
"Every seat was taken and people were standing," said one mourner.
And they also grieved as they reflected on the terrifying attack which took his life.
"It was very difficult especially being a parent with three kids, having to watch another family go through that," said Rachel Heath.
Police say a group of teens targeted Jones on Saturday night.
They say they pummeled him and beat his head with their bare hands.
Now people charged 16-year-old Javel George with an adult, and an unidentified 14-year-old as a juvenile.
Earlier this week
WJZ spoke with the victim's parents who said they believe the unthinkable act was gang related.
"We pulled him out of Arundel High School five weeks ago, because we didn't want him involved in the gang activity in that school. We put him in South River to prevent this from happening," said Jennifer Adkins, Jones' mother.
"We don't want to bury our children our children should be burying us," said David Jones, Jones' father.
On the very day that Crofton buried a young man that had so much ahead of him, at 3 a.m. police responded to the 2600-block of Lotuswood Court because someone threw a homemade bomb at the front door.
Police are investigating to see if it was an act of retaliation for Jones' death.
"The pastor said in the service today wake up, the community needs to wake up and realize that these things are going on," said Ben Heath, a family friend.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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